A Constant Reminder
by Ash M. Knight
Summary: A feely one-shot that takes place after Regina breaks up with Emma.
1. Chapter 1: A Constant Reminder

**The song in this fic is called "Reminder" by Mumford & Sons.**

* * *

At half past four in the morning, Emma walked the streets of Storybrooke. Sleep eluded her. Her heavy heart weighed down on each step as her boots scuffed against the concrete sidewalk. Emma was alone.

_And I won't hear you cry when I'm gone_

_I won't know if I'm doing you wrong_

_I never know if I'm doing you wrong_

Regina sat on the bed, her eyes filled with tears, her face warm with frustration, her cheeks red from the exertion of crying. She wrung her hands and squeezed until her knuckles were white. When this didn't release the tension, she dug her nails into her palms to feel something. The tears fell on the backs of her hands, nearly steaming with heat. _Oh, God,_ she was thinking. _What have I done? _Just as heavily as Emma's, her heart weighed down on her and made it difficult to draw breath.

_A constant reminder of where I can find her_

_A light that might give up the way_

_Is all that I'm asking for_

_without her I'm lost_

_But my love, don't fade away_

Eventually, Emma pulled out her cell phone and dialed a friend's number.

"Ruby?" she said. "Can I come over?"

It may have been extremely late, but of course, her friend obliged and welcomed her with open arms when she showed up at her house.

"What happened honey?" she asked, kissing Emma's forehead.

"Regina ended it."

"Oh, sweetie," Ruby said. "I'm so, so sorry."

Ruby embraced her friend and held her tightly in her arms, knowing all too well how much pain Emma was in. For all the time she'd known Emma, she'd always had feelings for Regina. When they finally got together, Emma was secretly ecstatic, completely overwhelmed with the intoxicating feelings of love that overtook her heart. As Emma cried, Ruby continued to hold her, not letting go until Emma pulled away first.

"I'm sure she'll change her mind," Ruby said, attempting to be supportive and optimistic.

But in her current state and through her exhaustion, Emma couldn't believe it. The way Regina had ended, Emma knew she meant it. At least, that was how it seemed. If not, the performance was quite convincing. It had Emma convinced, anyway.

"I don't know what to do," Emma cried, wiping her eyes with a tissue.

"Why don't you tell her how you feel? Give it a few days and see if she still feels the same."

Emma shook her head and said, "I can't. I can't open up like that when I know she'll just reject me."

"How do you know?" Ruby pressed. "Maybe she feels just as broken as you do."

"Then why would she do this?"

Emma was nearly sobbing, gasping for breath every few words. Ruby's eyes filled with pity - something Emma didn't want to see.

"Don't," the blonde warned. "This is pathetic. I'm pathetic. Don't feel bad for me."

Feeling bad for upsetting Emma, Ruby nodded quietly and looked down at her lap, too guilty to meet her eyes. She knew there was nothing she could do for Emma other than simply to listen, and she knew that wasn't enough. She watched Emma fall apart in front of her and couldn't wash the sorrow from her own eyes. Watching her friend's heart breaking was one of the most painful things she'd had to go through, especially when she knew just how much the woman was suffering. She'd never seen two people more in love than they were, and it even pained her to think of them splitting up. If they weren't together, how would there be hope for anyone else? They'd seemed so perfect together. At least in front of other people, they never fought or even disagreed. The only other couple that seemed almost equally in love was Snow and Charming, and even they had their disputes.

"You're not pathetic," Ruby promised, reaching up and resting her hand on the woman's shoulder. "It's not pathetic to be in love, Emma."

"Sure it is," she spat. "Love is weakness."

"Don't say that!" Ruby said. "That's not true and you know it. You're just upset."

Emma sighed and shook her head, unconvinced.

"Can I crash here tonight, Rubes? Please..."

"Of course you can, honey. You're always welcome here."

Emma spent the night and clung to her phone, praying for the text or call that wouldn't come.

_So I watched the world tear us apart_

_A stoic mind and a bleeding heart_

_You never see my bleeding heart_

Henry woke to the sound of his mother crying and peeked into her bedroom.

"Mom?" he called out in the dark.

Regina was laying on her side, tears pouring from her eyes. Henry made his way over to her bedside and touched her shoulder.

"Mom, what's the matter?"

"I made a huge mistake, Henry," Regina told her son, crying as she sat up in bed and held his hand.

"What happened?" the boy asked.

"I told Emma I didn't want to be with her anymore."

"Why?"

"Because I was hurt, and I felt like she didn't love me."

"But she does," Henry said confidently, squeezing his mother's hand. "I know she does."

"I don't know, Henry," Regina replied. "I just don't know anymore."

"Don't you love her?" he asked.

"I... Yes... Yes, of course, I do..."

"Then you should tell her. Can't you just tell her you're sorry?"

"It's not that simple, Henry," the woman sighed, looking into the boy's eyes.

"Why not?"

"Because relationships don't work that way. I can't take back what I said."

"Why not?"

"Because she won't listen," Regina said, convinced of the truth of her words, not believing that Emma could ever forgive her.

"You should tell her how you feel, Mom."

"Henry," his mother said. "I just can't."

Henry wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her tightly.

"I love you, Mom."

"I love you, too, Henry. I'm so sorry."

_And your light's always shining on_

_And I've been traveling oh so long_

_I've been traveling oh so long_

After tucking Henry back into bed, Regina fell into a fitful sleep, sobbing herself into exhaustion. In her hand, she clutched her phone, praying for the text or call that wouldn't come. She left the volume all the way up, just in case of a small miracle. In the morning, she spent a half hour staring at her phone screen, waiting desperately, her breath catching in her chest each time she tried to inhale.

"Emma," she sobbed, burying her face in her pillow.

Against her better judgement, she grabbed the phone, unable to stop her fingers from typing.

'**I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it. Please come home.'**

_A constant reminder of where I can find her_

_Light that might give up the way_

_Is all that I'm asking for without her I'm lost_

_Oh my love don't fade away_

_Oh my love don't fade away_

Emma woke to the text message, her heart aching as she read the words. She felt herself stop breathing and started to cry.


	2. Chapter 2: I Will Wait

**The song in this chapter is "I Will Wait" by Mumford & Sons, in the theme of the last chapter. It was supposed to be a one-shot, but enough people asked to see them making up that I figured I'd write another quick one. It's not very good, but here it is anyway.**

* * *

_Well, I came home_

_Like a stone_

_And I fell heavy into your arms_

_These days of dust_

_Which we've known_

_Will blow away with this new sun_

Emma hurriedly gathered her things and threw them haphazardly into her car, shoving her phone into her pocket. She didn't bother to text back. She didn't want to waste the time. Driving through her blurring tears was difficult, but she managed not to run anyone off the road. She pulled safely into the driveway and threw the car door open, racing to the front door of the house and throwing it carelessly open as well.

_But I'll kneel down,_

_Wait for now_

_And I'll kneel down,_

_Know my ground_

Emma nearly slammed the door shut. The bang startled Regina, who was nearby in the living room, crying tears of desperation. Emma heard the soft sobbing and found her on the couch there. She knelt down in front of Regina and took both of her hands, looking up into her eyes.

"Regina?" she whispered.

The woman nodded weakly but looked away, not daring to meet her savior's eyes.

"I'm so sorry," she sobbed, reaching for Emma's hands. "I'm so, so sorry. Please forgive me."

"I do," Emma said softly. "Of course I do."

_And I will wait, I will wait for you_

_And I will wait, I will wait for you_

"I know I messed up, but please don't give up on me," Regina begged. "You're everything I've ever wanted, and I couldn't stand to lose you. I don't know who I am without you anymore."

Regina's eyes were still overflowing with tears; she couldn't stop them from cascading down her cheeks. Emma reached up and gently wiped them away with her thumbs, cupping Regina's face in her hands.

"Regina," Emma started. "If you had really left me, I would have waited forever for you to change your mind. My whole world would have stopped for you."

"I'm so sorry."

_So break my step_

_And relent_

_Well, you forgave and I won't forget_

_Know what we've seen_

_And him with less_

_Now in some way shake the excess_

Regina's breathing was becoming more erratic as she struggled the voice her feelings. Emma sat back on the floor and crossed her legs, then reached up to pull Regina onto her lap. Once her lover was there, Emma wrapped her arms around her and kissed her cheeks with reassuring warmth, silently telling her just how much she cared. Regina's head fell to Emma's shoulder.

_'Cause I will wait, I will wait for you_

_And I will wait, I will wait for you_

_And I will wait, I will wait for you_

_And I will wait, I will wait for you_

"Regina, my queen," Emma whispered, kissing the woman's ear. "You're everything I've ever wanted, too. I couldn't be happier with you. There's no one on Earth who could ever make me feel the things you do. Please, please don't cry, my love."

But Regina couldn't stop. Instead, she sobbed louder, squeezing Emma tightly in her arms.

"Thank you for coming home to me."

"Thank you for asking me to come back."

_Now I'll be bold_

_As well as strong_

_And use my head alongside my heart_

_So tame my flesh_

_And fix my eyes_

_A tethered mind freed from the lies_

"I would have begged to get you back," Regina confessed, finally looking up into her lover's eyes.

"I thought you were really going to let me go," Emma told her, looking down. "All I could think about was kissing you, holding you, making love to you..."

"Me too, Emma... Me too..."

_And I'll kneel down,_

_Wait for now_

_I'll kneel down,_

_Know my ground_

"Kiss me," Emma breathed, leaning in dangerously close to Regina's lips.

Regina obeyed and pressed her lips against Emma's, moving them slowly.

"I love you, Emma," she whispered.

"I love you too."

_Raise my hands_

_Paint my spirit gold_

_And bow my head_

_Keep my heart slow_

Regina buried her face in Emma's neck, kissing it slowly.

"I love you, I love you, I love you," Regina cooed into her ear.

Emma shivered, her body reacting to the warmth of her lover's breath. Her grip around Regina tightened. Regina's fingers traced up and down Emma's arms, giving her goosebumps. The blonde bit her lip, leaned forward a little, and tilted her head back, exposing the skin of her neck. Regina kept kissing her there, taking her time, understanding and welcoming the invitation. They moved their hands up and down each other's bodies until they were undressing, eventually naked in each other's arms.

_'Cause I will wait, I will wait for you_

_And I will wait, I will wait for you_

_And I will wait, I will wait for you_

_And I will wait, I will wait for you_


End file.
